HomeMy WebLinkAboutExplanatory Statement 15-109
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT FOR COUNTY VOTERS' PAMPHLET
NAME OF PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT: Megan Thornton, Interim City Attorney, City of Ashland, Oregon.
NAME OF ORGANIZATION PERSON REPRESENTS, IF ANY: City of Ashland, Oregon '
BALLOT TITLE CAPTION: General Obligation Bond Authorization for Reconstruction Fire Station No 2.
MEASURE NUMBER:
15"-/01
Passage of this measure will increase property taxes approximately $0.124 per $1 ,000 of assessed property value per year for
20 years. According to the Jackson County Assessor's office, the average assessed value for a single-family dwelling in
Ashland is $228,710. Based on that value, the property owner would pay $28.36 per year for 20 years. Property owners should
refer to their property tax statement to determine their assessed property value and then multiply that amount by $,000124 to
determine the amount they would pay.
This proposed measure is $2.5 million less than the $5.5 million measure proposed in 2006. The new design is a two-story
structure of approximately 10,000 square feet, which is 4,150 square feet smaller than the 2006 design. It will be in the same
location, and it will not encroach on Sherwood Park.
The project received land use approval in April 2009, with an 18-month extension approved in September 2010. In January
2010, the City Council appointed fourteen Ashland citizens to the Public Safety Bond Committee to evaluate the need for
improvements to Fire Station NO.2. In May 201 0, the Committee unanimously recommended that the City place a measure on
the May 2011 ballot to seek voter approval to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $3 million.
The current station does not meet National Fire Protection Association standards. It is more than 45 years old. The structure
is constructed of non-reinforced concrete blocks and the Committee Report of the City's 2008 Facilities Master Plan found that
the building most likely would not withstand a seismic event. Replacement of the station was identified as the highest priority
project in the Facilities Master Plan.
The current station garage is not large enough to house all the necessary fire vehicles. The building poses health risks for
employees because the living quarters are not sealed from vehicle emissions. Ground water seeps into storage areas and the
HVAC system. The building does not provide gender specific facilities, indoor parking for emergency vehicles or an adequate
electrical system. It does not meet the requirements of the Americans for Disability Act.
The current location ensures a 5-minute response time to the eastern end of the city. Response times are a critical component
for fire services; current response time in Ashland is 5 minutes from either of the City's two stations. Eliminating Fire Station
NO.2 would increase response time to 9 minutes or greater to some of the southeast areas of Ashland. The study conducted
in 1993 by Urban Planning Associates, Inc., of Mission Viejo, California found that the present locations of the two City fire
stations are optimal sites for providing prompt fire and emergency medical services responses throughout the City.
The replacement station should have a useful life of at least 50 years. The new station will meet the safety, health and
operational needs of the Fire Department.
WORD COUNT TOTAL: 478
THE TOTAL WORD COUNT CANNOT EXCEED 500 WORDS.
TENT OF THE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
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